Manitoba's Top Employers

12 MANITOBA'S TOP 25 EMPLOYERS 2014 Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) Unique nature of APTN inspires employee belief, loyalty By Holli Moncrieff For the Free Press Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) believes in helping its people grow. Its strong mentorship program is one of the reasons the network has made the list of Manitoba's Top Employers six years in a row. "We're pretty proud that our staff and our organization have maintained this level of to move up a level at the company. Criteria for participation in the program is set up with the individual's director, who compiles a list of skills the employee needs to develop in order to advance. The mentorship program typically takes one to three years to complete, and involves quarterly meetings with an outside consultant, the director and the manager. "The key to our success is that 90 per cent of our senior management team is Aboriginal. actors, writers and media professionals to create innovative, reflective and relevant programming for Canadian viewers. Eighty-four per cent of APTN programming originates in Canada, with 56 per cent of the programs broadcast in English, 16 per cent in French and 28 per cent in a variety of Aboriginal languages. "By the time someone finishes the mentorship program, he or she has sufficient knowledge to move up a level," said La Rose. "We provide people with as many opportunities to attend When I started working here, there were only two Aboriginal people in senior management positions. Many of our senior managers and middle managers have come from our mentorship program," La Rose said. "More of our managers are Aboriginal than not. We provide opportunities our people probably wouldn't have had at other networks." APTN is the first national Aboriginal television network in the world with programming by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples. The network offers unprecedented opportunity for Aboriginal producers, directors, meetings and events (at that level) as possible until a position becomes available. People have been very enthusiastic about this opportunity." Like many organizations, APTN offers its staff a subsidized Employee Assistance Program (EAP) where free counselling and support is available. However, the network is the first organization to campaign for and win the right to have Elders recognized as providers of care. "Many of our people are more comfortable seeking counselling from Elders rather than traditional counsellors," La Rose explained. "This is something unique about APTN that APTN staff. Submitted photo excellence for so many years," said network CEO Jean La Rose. "We do try to always find ways to provide our staff with as many opportunities as possible." The network created the mentorship program for its staff in 2005. The program was first made available at the senior management level, but today it is offered at the middle management level as well to allow staff to be able to plan a long-term career at APTN. Mentorship is primarily targeted at managers and employees who are interested in the program and who have demonstrated the ability people are drawn to." APTN airs more than 80 per cent Canadian content and consistently exceeds its Canadian content requirements. The remaining percentage of the broadcast schedule includes indigenous and other programming from around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Central and South America and the U.S. Nearly half of all programming is exclusive to APTN and cannot be seen on any other network. The network employs 145 people in bureaus across Canada. "Along with the CBC, we're the only other network that truly covers the north," said La Rose. "We've really built up our news team to serve the needs of our communities. Our communities know they can count on us." Other benefits of working at APTN include a wide range of statutory holidays, including some other companies don't have, such as Aboriginal Day, and a fair compensation and benefits package. But La Rose suspects the main reason the network's turnover is so low is that its employees believe in APTN's mission. "Our staff really enjoys working at APTN. Our network is truly unique, and everyone believes in the work they are doing," he said. Due to declining revenues, the network will have to restructure some areas of the organization. Instead of layoffs, APTN will shut down bureaus and provide equipment so its employees are able to work from home, says La Rose. "We want to keep people employed in the community, so we'll give them the opportunity to work from home. I think this will allow us to keep all of our employees and not abandon those communities," he explained. "We're keeping the people and just dropping the bricks and mortar."

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